Byblos Art Hotel Villa Amista in San Pietro in Cariano

Beautiful villa ruined by atrocious contemporary art by the world's worst artists. Hideously installed art everywhere, corridors filled with pathetic graffiti art. The rooms are ridiculously furnished with garish colors and dumb art. Towels, sheets and pillows are of the worst quality. The prices are absurd. The only redeeming factor was a good breakfast. If you love pointless pretensions, stay there. Otherwise steer clear!!!

I cannot recommend this hotel, mainly because the value for money is simply outrageous. For the rates they charge, the overall experience is nowhere near acceptable. Breakfast was shockingly poor: the selection was small, the quality disappointing, and the scrambled eggs were practically liquid. The shower in our room was blocked, full of limescale and mold in the corners. As a couple, we were given just one small blanket (about 1.40 x 2 m), wrapped only in loose bed sheets that came undone, leaving us with an uncovered duvet. When we asked for another blanket, we were only provided with yet another sheet. The pool service was chaotic and slow – waiting endlessly for something as simple as a drink. Speaking of drinks: prices are absurd. €20 for a simple long drink is unjustifiable, especially given the quality, and room service adds another €15 surcharge on top of already overpriced items. The room itself was underwhelming: very basic for the price, with a cheap TV that only receives Italian channels and no international options. The minibar was poorly stocked and honestly felt like an afterthought. To be fair, the architecture of the villa and the gardens are beautiful, and the staff themselves are friendly and do try their best. But unfortunately, these positives cannot make up for the many flaws. The hotel positions itself as luxury, but what you actually get feels careless, outdated, and massively overpriced.

We stayed at the hotel for four nights – a couple with children. The room was large and spacious, but breakfast was rather poor, with a limited selection, and the coffee was simply bad. The service was very disappointing. At the pool, one of the staff members even mocked us when we requested a towel for the second time after already waiting for about half an hour. His response was: “Yes, maybe you should wait an hour?” This is not the level of service one would expect from a five-star hotel, especially not from a place that values its reputation. We will not return and will not recommend it to any of our friends. A very disappointing experience.

If it was a 3 star hotel I would give an higher score… but it is not. Apart from the great art collection all the rest was a shame. Rooms with no maintenance, old bath/shower. Spa was closed and no one told us at booking. Bar was always unattended. Michelin star restaurant not at standard. No service in general. Staff was friendly and helpful and they give us a discount at check out (nice). Maybe in high season with swimming pool and spa open could be a different experience.